South Coast League : Capistrano Valley Rallies to Tie Mission Viejo, 29-29

Capistrano Valley High School quarterback Scott Stark turned a tough evening into a better one, throwing a 45-yard touchdown pass with seven seconds left to salvage a 29-29 tie with Mission Viejo.

An overflow crowd of 3,000 at Capistrano Valley witnessed the see-saw battle between the South Coast League rivals.

The Cougars had a chance to win the game, but the extra point after their last touchdown was blocked and the game ended in a tie.

Although Capistrano Valley had a chance to win, it was fortunate to even be in that position. Mission Viejo had taken a 29-23 lead with 42 seconds left on a six-yard touchdown run by tailback Todd Yert.

Following the kickoff and a penalty, Capistrano Valley started its last drive from its own 13-yard line with 29 seconds to play and managed to go 87 yards in 3 plays.

The first play covered 42 yards and put the ball at Mission Viejo’s 45-yard line with 16 seconds to play. Stark threw a pass to wide receiver Nathan Call, who then pitched it to flanker Todd Beightol, who carried it into Mission Viejo territory.

“It’s called and hook-and-lateral,” Stark said. “It’s sort of a desperation, gimmick play.”

Whatever, it fooled the defense and ignited the Cougars.

Stark, the son of the late Ray Stark, long-time coach at Chaffey High, then threw the ball out of bounds to stop the clock with 13 seconds to play.

On second down, Stark took the snap from the shotgun formation, waited for his receivers to get downfield, and then threw a bomb down the left hashmark.

Receiver Brent Parker ran under it at the eight, just out of the grasp of two defenders and into the end zone.

“I just look at the safety and throw it where he’s not,” Stark said. “The safety went with Call (to the right side of the field), so I just threw left to Parker.”

Mission Viejo, blocked the extra point but couldn’t run an offensive play before time expired.

The Diablos trailed 10-0 in the first half but capitalized on two turnovers to take a 14-10 halftime lead.

The first Mission Viejo touchdown came on a blocked punt off the foot of the Cougars’ Stark. Craig Whitley blocked the punt and Ben Morgan picked up the ball and returned it 30 yards for the touchdown, making it 10-7.

On the play, Whitley not only blocked the kick but wisely tackled Stark, who was the only Capistrano Valley player near the ball.

Mission Viejo’s Jeff Peace then intercepted a Stark pass and the Diablos had the ball on the Capistrano Valley 30-yard line with 32 seconds to play in the half. It took the Diablos only three plays to score with the touchdown coming on an 11-yard pass from Brendon Murphy to Bob Doran with 17 seconds left to play.

In the second half, Mission Viejo took leads of 22-16 and 29-23 before Capistrano Valley tied the game.